Seismic design parameters of double-layer diamatic domes

Abstract

The effect of past earthquakes (e.g., the 1995 Kobe and 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes) on the space structures revealed the fact that the assumption of the invulnerability of these structures is incorrect despite their light self-weight and high degree of redundancy, and space structures may suffer severe damage during strong ground motions. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the design of this type of structure in high seismic-risk regions. Nevertheless, the existing seismic design codes have not provided the seismic design parameters (i.e., the seismic response modification factors), including the behavior factor, R, and the displacement amplification factor, Cd for space structures. This research aims to extract the seismic design parameters of double-layer diamatic domes (DLDDs) to answer the challenges that structural engineers face in the design of this type of structure. For this purpose, 16 DLDD models with different rise-to-span ratios (RSRs) and span lengths were considered. After designing the models and performing the nonlinear time history analysis using the simultaneous effect of the three transitional components of ground motions, the target displacement at the control node was determined. Then, the pushover analysis was carried out to derive the capacity curve of the structures and calculate the seismic response modification factors in both horizontal and vertical directions. The results indicate that the domes with RSRs of 1/7 and 1/5 should be designed such that they remain in the elastic state in the horizontal direction. Then, with the growth of RSR, the value of R increases and reaches 1.792. Finally, equations were presented in this study for the period, behavior factor, and displacement amplification factor of DLDD structures in both horizontal and vertical directions using the nonlinear regression analysis.